Administration

Ellen Martin,Principal

emartin@stalbert.org

Ohio State University, B. A. in EducationUniversity of Louisville, M. A. in EducationIndiana University SE, Certificate in Educational Leadership

This is Ellen’s second year at St. Albert; however she has been an educator and administrator in the Archdiocese for many years. Her favorite things include Ohio State football, shopping, Coke, naps, and especially her family: her husband, John, and daughters Cassie and Madyson.

Debbie Abbott,
Asst. Principal

dabbott@stalbert.org

University of Louisville, B.S. in Elementary EducationUniversity of Louisville, Master of Education

Debbie has been an educator in the Archdiocese of Louisville at St. Albert for 19 years. She taught fourth grade for 16 years before becoming the assistant principal. Debbie and her husband, Wayne, are members of St. Albert Parish and have three children, Christopher, Jonathan and Catherine, all who attended St. Albert. She loves spending time with her family, working in her yard and tea from McAlister’s.

Stacie Short,School Counselor

Stacie has been in education for the past 17 years. She taught third grade for the first five years of her career and then went back to school to earn her Master’s degree in school counseling. She loves working with the children and their families. Stacie is married to Todd and has three children: Lucas, Ethan, and McKenna. She also has two BIG dogs: Tinkerbell and Onyx. She spends most of her time drawing,coloring, and creating cards. When she is not doing that she is coaching volleyball at the high school level and hanging out with her family.

Mary Heather Adam,Learning Coordinator

madam@stalbert.org

University of Louisville, BS in Early Elementary EducationUniversity of Louisville, M.Ed. in Reading Education

Ms. Adam has been at St. Albert since 2012. Previously, she was the Special Needs Coordinator at St. Pius X and taught 3rd grade at St. Lawrence. She lives in the Highlands with her husband and two sons. They are members of St. Raphael Parish.

Fr. Dave Harris,Pastor

University of Kentucky, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering
University of Kentucky, Master of Business Administration
Southern Seminary, Master of Divinity
St. Meinrad School of Theology, Master of Theological Studies
Epiphany Academy of Formative Spirituality, 2 year post-graduate certificate

Father Dave has lived in Kentucky all of his life. He grew up in southeastern Kentucky, attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington and has remained in Louisville since 1983. He is both a Wildcat and Cardinal fan. He is married and has two grown children and three grandchildren. Father Dave was ordained to the priesthood in 2008. He loves being a priest and particularly enjoys celebrating the Mass. Prior to coming to St. Albert he served at St. Aloysius parish in Pewee Valley and Pax Christi Collaborative in Louisville. He also continues to serve on the Priests Council for the Archdiocese and participates in Mass of the Air. Father Dave loves being the pastor of St. Albert. “It’s a great parish!” He has a deep love for people and is passionate about helping them to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Office & Support Staff

Becky Fry,School Secretary

bfry@stalbert.org

University of Louisville, B.S in Paralegal Studies

Becky worked for a law firm for 15 years before quitting to stay home with her kids. Becky has been at St. Albert for 11 years, 10 as a 5th-8th grade assistant and 1 as school secretary. She grew up in Graymoor-Devondale and attended St. Albert. She is married to Marty and has 3 children, Brad, Andrew & Emily, who all attended St. Albert. She obviously thinks St. Albert is a great school and community because she has been here all her life!

Pam Smith,Office Asst.

psmith@stalbert.org

Graduated from Ballard High School in 1978

Pam is the Office Assistant and is your copy and laminating go to person. She was a 3rd grade Assistant for 6 years and then moved to the Office Assistant position 7 years ago. Pam was an Administrative Assistant in the insurance business for over 20 years before coming to St. Albert. She lives in Springhurst with her husband Pat and two sons Nathan and Matthew.

Bill Henderson,Director of Technology

Mr. Henderson has been at St. Albert since 2014, before that he spent many years working with churches and non-profit organizations, catering to their media and technology demands. He has a background and passion for all media, including websites, graphic design and video production. He loves being a father and lives in Bon Air with his favorite girls– his wife, Katarina (Tinki) and daughters, Amelia & Maggie.

Melissa Bakken,Technology Help Desk

mbakken@stalbert.org

University of Louisville, B.A. in CommunicationUniversity of Louisville, MAT in Elementary Education

Melissa is a former elementary school teacher for JCPS. She also substitute taught for the Archdiocese of Louisville. Prior to getting her teaching degree she spent time substitute teaching here at St.Albert the Great several years ago.
She enjoys coaching volleyball and basketball, being outdoors, traveling, cooking, watching Louisville sports, and spending time with her family–husband, Luke, son, Walt, and daughter, Cate.

Janelle Richardson,Director of Development

jrichardson@stalbert.org

University of Dayton, B.S. in Marketing & Business Administration

This is my 3rd year working at St. Albert the Great. St. Albert is truly my home away from home. I’m a lifelong parishioner, St. Albert School graduate, parent of 3 current St. Albert students, and an active volunteer within the school & parish. I truly love our St. Albert community and enjoy being able to share my experiences with others who are considering our GREAT school. I also love being able to work so closely with our current school families, students, and staff. Prior to St. Albert, I worked at Papa John’s International in the Marketing Department. This job allows me to combine two things I have a passion for: St. Albert and marketing! I enjoy cooking, photography and spending time with my husband Chris and our 3 daughters. Go Vikings!

Sharon Grider,Cafeteria Manager

sgrider@stalbert.org

National Certified in School Nutrition, Level 3

I have worked at St. Albert since 1982. I enjoy my job, staff, and most of all the students. I love seeing previous students with their children attending school the same school. St. Albert has also been “my” parish since 1980.

Preschool Staff

Sharon Zdunek,Preschool Director

szdunek@stalbert.org

University of Louisville, Elementary and Special EducationUniversity of Missouri, B.S. in Educational Studies/Vocational Rehabilitation

Mrs. Zdunek has been at St. Albert since 2010. She spent three years as the lead three year old teacher and this will be her fifth year as the Director of the Preschool. She has worked in the field of preschool since 2000 teaching two , three and four year old students. She has three grown children and two grandchildren and has lived in Middletown with her husband for the the past 29 years.

Elizabeth Dallenbach,Preschool Asst. Director & After School Care

edallenbach@stalbert.org

Jenny Conn,Preschool Teacher – 3A

jconn@stalbert.org

Murray State University, B.S. in Elementary and Special Education

Jenny has had the pleasure of working at St. Albert for the past three years. This is her third year working with Play Cafe, and her second year teaching the preschool three year old class. Jenny is recently engaged and planning a wedding for April 2016. She also has been coaching a neighborhood swim team for the past seven years during the summer. She has a passion for working with children!

Holly Blake,Preschool Teacher – 3B

hblake@stalbert.org

University of Louisville, B.A. in HistoryJCTC, Associate of Arts

This will be Ms. Holly’s fourth year at St. Albert. Before joining St. Albert’s wonderful preschool, she was a stay-at-home mom for 13 years. She has three daughters, Zoe, Olivia, and Adelai. She has two dogs, Maggie and Max, a Sun Conure named Rio and her class fish, Dill Pickles. In her spare time, Ms. Holly enjoys spending time with her family, singing, and theatre. She loves working with our youngest Vikings!

Debbie Schooler,PreKA

dschooler@stalbert.org

Lockyear Business College, Associates Degree

Ms. Debbie has been with St. Albert since 2014. Prior to joining St. Albert the Great, she was with Suburban Christian Kindergarten and Preschool for fifteen years. She began as a substitute teacher, moved up to an assistant teacher, then spent the last seven years as the lead teacher for the three and four year olds. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband, Jim, and two sons, Mitchell and Wesley. Now that her two sons are grown, she likes to spend time gardening and taking long walks in the park.

Jennifer Higgins,PreKB

jhiggins@stalbert.org

University of Kentucky, B.S. in Elementary EducationUniversity of Kentucky, M.S. in Early Childhood Education

This will be Mrs. Jennifer’s second year at St. Albert the Great. She loves children’s books (Mo Willems is her favorite author) and animals. She has two dogs, Chief and Clark. Ms. Jennifer and her husband, Patrick will be celebrating their two year wedding anniversary this November.

Primary Teachers (K-3)

Tierney Coman,KA

tcoman@stalbert.org

Western Kentucky University, BS in Elementary Education

This will be Tierney’s second year at St. Albert, her third year teaching Kindergarten in the Archdiocese. She is originally from Marietta, Georgia and moved to Louisville after graduating Western Kentucky University in 2013. Tierney absolutely loves teaching Kindergarten and is excited to see what this year has in store! In her free time she loves cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs and spending time with her family and friends.

Allison Ray,KB

aray@stalbert.org

Spalding University, B.S. in Education, Cum Laude

Allison is a third year teacher at St. Albert. She went to Catholic schools growing up here in Louisville, Ky. She has loved her transition into Kindergarten and can’t wait for year 2 in KB. Allison enjoys spending time with her family & friends, especially watching her niece over the summer breaks. She also loves reading & traveling.

Jordan Feger,KC

jfeger@stalbert.org

Wake Forest University, B.A. in Elementary Education

This will be Ms. Feger’s second year at St. Albert and first year as a Kindergarten teacher. Last year she was a Kindergarten assistant teacher and is excited to have her own classroom this year. She grew up in Louisville and attended school in the Archdiocese. She recently moved back to Louisville after living in Atlanta for a few years, where she worked at the YMCA and coached soccer. She enjoys spending time with her family as well as coaching soccer at Sacred Heart Academy and Javanon Soccer Club.

Kerry Ball,
1A

kball@stalbert.org

University of Kentucky, B.A. in MarketingSpalding University, Masters of Arts in Teaching

This is Kerry’s third year at St. Albert. She taught third grade for her first two years here and is now teaching first grade. Kerry attended Catholic schools and grew up here in Louisville. She and her husband, Brad, have two sons, Braden and Charlie. Kerry enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and traveling.

Emily Wolz,1B

ewolz@stalbert.org

University of Kentucky, B.A. In Elementary Education

Emily has been at St. Albert since 2015. She has a passion for teaching 1st grade and for sharing her Catholic faith with her students. Emily is currently working on her Master’s degree through Midway University. She and her husband, Mark, are parishioners at St. Albert. They also have an adorable puppy, Albert, whom they named after their favorite school.

Margie DeMuth,
1C

mdemuth@stalbert.org

Bellarmine University, B.A. In Elementary and Special EducationBellarmine University, M.A. In Learning and Behavior Disorders

Margie has 18 years teaching experience, the last seven of which have been at St. Albert the Great. She has had the benefit of teaching physically challenged students, children with learning differences, Reading Recovery, Kindergarten, and First Grade. She and her husband Greg have been married 30 years. They have four children: Matthew, Elizabeth, Robert, and Catherine. They have been parishioners at St. Albert for 22 years. Margie enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, hiking, and bird watching.

Lynn Barger,
2A

lbarger@stalbert.org

University of Cincinnati, B.S. in EducationBellarmine University, M.A.T. in Elementary Education

Mrs. Barger is starting her 20th year teaching at St. Albert where she has taught both first and second grades. She taught preschool at The Temple for many years and also taught school in the Cincinnati Public Schools. She is a Cincinnati native but has called Louisville home since 1980. She and her husband have 3 sons, 3 daughter-laws and 3 grandchildren. Life is good!

Kathy Riley,
2C

kriley@stalbert.org

University of Central Florida Masters in Early Childhood EducationUniversity of Kentucky B.S. in Specific Learning Disabilities

Kathy started teaching middle school at JCPS, then continued teaching in Florida for 3 years. After moving through 5 states and having 5 children she started subbing at St Albert, where her kids went. This is Kathy’s 10th year teaching reading and she loves her job!

Nancy Leopold,
3A

nleopold@stalbert.org

University of Kentucky B.A. in Science in Early Childhood EducationSpalding University -Masters Education

Mrs. Leopold has been at St. Albert for 22 years teaching First and Third graders. She and her husband Jim have two sons, Christopher and Phillip. Christopher and his wife Kelley have one son and are expecting another baby boy in December! Her family loves baseball, vacations to the beach and going to Kentucky football and basketball games!

Michelle Doheny,
3B

Michelle is going on her 6th year teaching at St. Albert the Great. She has loved getting to know the wonderful community at St. Albert. Michelle has been married to her husband, Brian, for 26 years. They have three children, Brian Jr., Michael, and Maggie. She loves to read and travel.

Judie Virant,
1st Grade Reading/K-5 Spanish

Mrs. Virant has been teaching at St. Albert for 15 years. She is also a long-time parishioner, and whose 2 daughters are St. Albert graduates. She enjoys spending time with her family, and loves visits with family and friends from her hometown of Milwaukee, WI (go Pack!).

Intermediate Teachers (4 & 5)

Chelsea Culbreth,
4A

cculbreth@stalbert.org

College of Mount St. Joseph, B.A. in Inclusive Early Childhood Education

This is Mrs. Culbreth’s seventh year teaching, and first year at St. Albert. She has taught third grade the past 2 years at John Paul II Academy. She moved to Louisville two years ago with her husband Matt from Madison Indiana where she taught first grade for four years. Mrs. Culbreth loves to travel and spend time with her friends and family. She and her husband are expecting their first baby in January of 2018!

Teri Rosenbaum,
4B

trosenbaum@stalbert.org

University of Louisville, Masters Degree in Elementary EducationUniversity of Louisville, Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education

Mrs. Rosenbaum has been a teacher for 25 years. She has taught at St. Albert for 12 years. She was a student at St. Albert herself while growing up. Mrs. Rosenbaum and her husband have 2 children, Zack and Katie. She enjoys camping, hiking, boating and water skiing with her family.

Allison French,
4C

afrench@stalbert.org

University of Louisville- B.A. in EnglishUniversity of Louisville- Master of Arts in Teaching

An alumnus of St. Albert the Great, Mrs. French started teaching here in 1999. She spent 12 years in second grade before deciding to make a switch to 4th grade. She and her husband Chris have 3 children- Cooper, Abby, and Emma. Together they enjoy watching the kids play baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball and archery, cheering for the Cards, and taking family trips.

Ellen Burton,
5A & Play Cafe Director

eburton@stalbert.org

Spalding University, B. S. in Elementary Education.University of Louisville, M. Ed. in Elementary Education with a Minor in Special Education.

Ellen attended Sacred Heart Model School and graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in 1983. She attended Georgetown College for two years then returned home to attend Spalding University. After graduating from Spalding University in 1988, Ellen began teaching for the Archdiocese of Louisville, She taught sixth and second grades at St. Polycarp School and second grade at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School before joining the faculty of St. Albert the Great in 1997. In 2000 she became the Director of St. Albert’s after-school program, the Play Café. In 2008, Ellen was named the Kentucky D.A.R.E. Educator of the Year. She is passionate about educating our children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. When the D.A.R. E. program was removed from area schools, Ellen devised the St. Albert Drug Awareness Program or S.A.D.A.P. Ellen grew up showing American Saddlebreds in the 3 and 5 gaited divisions out of Rock Creek Riding Club here in Louisville. She is an avid Louisville Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers fan and a huge animal lover. She lives in the Highlands with her husband, Dane, and their two cats, Kali and Molli.

Andrea Campbell,
5B Social Studies, Vocab and Religion

This is Andrea’s third year teaching at St. Albert the Great. She hopes to foster a love of Social Studies in her students by engaging them in exciting projects and challenges. In her spare time, Andrea enjoys scuba diving, skiing, and hanging out with her dog, Boots.

Tyra Gallagher,
5C

tgallagher@stalbert.org

University of Kentucky, B.H.S. in Communication Disorders, University of Louisville, MA in Linguistics, Bellarmine University, MA in Teaching

Tyra Gallagher has been at St. Albert since 2017. Tyra hopes to bring excitement and enthusiasm to her students through her own passion for language arts and science. Tyra lives in the Highlands with her husband, Kevin and daughter, Eliza. She enjoys travelling, camping, hiking, snorkeling, and reading.

Middle School Teachers (6-8)

Arin Zirnheld,
6A Homeroom | Math, Science & Religion

This will be Ms. Zirnheld’s second year at St. Albert. She attended Catholic grade school and graduated from Presentation Academy. She has experience teaching middle and high school science as well as conducting scientific research in the areas of Type I diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. She loves sharing her passion for math and science and the natural world with students. She is excited to be a part of the St. Albert community!

Grace Duckworth,
6B Homeroom | English and Literature

gduckworth@stalbert.org

University of Dayton BABellarmine University Master of Arts in TeachingRank 1 Certification in Reading

Mrs. Duckworth has taught in the Archdiocese of Louisville for eleven years including four years in the 5th grade at St. Albert. This year she is taking on a new challenge and is moving to 6th grade. She has been married for 25 years to Jim Duckworth and has two grown children. She enjoys traveling and this summer she and her husband visited five National Parks in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the National Park System.

Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, INMajor is History and GovernmentCertification in Middle and Secondary Education

Mary has been teaching at St. Albert the Great Parish School since 2014. Through the study of World Geography she hopes to inspire her students to be productive global citizens and work to be the change that they would like to see in the world around them. She and her family are members of St. Albert the Great Parish.

Caitlin Carroll,
7A Homeroom | 7th & 8th Grade Science

ccarroll@stalbert.org

Bellarmine University, B.A. in Exercise Science, Minor in Nutrition

Caitlin is excited to join the community of St. Albert the Great. Growing up in Catholic schools, including St. Patrick, Sacred Heart Academy, and Bellarmine University, she has grown to love sharing her faith with others. Caitlin ran cross country and track at Bellarmine and is passionate about teaching students to live healthy, active lifestyles. She also enjoys spending time with her golden retriever and eating good food.

Patricia Rose,7th & 8th Grade Math

Mrs. Rose is excited to be back in the classroom after being at home with her children for the past 10 years. Before being a stay at home mom, Mrs. Rose taught Math and Social Studies for 4 years in JCPS, and Algebra and Religion at Sacred Heart Model School for 3 years. She and her husband Josh have 3 children that attend St. Albert – Will, Hannah, and Tyler. Together they love vacationing in Michigan on summer break and cheering on the Cards.

Lucy Geerer,
7C Language Arts & Religion

Mrs. Geerer has been teaching Language Arts and Religion since 2001. She came to St. Albert’s in that capacity in 2005. Previously she traveled widely and worked as a CPA. A long-term sub position at Trinity High School fueled her decision to make the switch from accounting to education — a decision that has been a blessing in countless ways. To her, being part of the educational, spiritual, and emotional growth of such fine young people is a privilege and an honor.

Mark Wolz,
8A Homeroom | 7th & 8th Grade Math

mwolz@stalbert.org

Bellarmine University, Bachelor’s of Science in MathBellarmine University, Bachelor’s of Arts in History Bellarmine University, MAT in Math grades 5-12

Mr. Wolz has been teaching at St. Albert since 2015. He enjoys helping students realize their potential and sharing his faith. His wife, Emily also teaches at St. Albert. He is an avid soccer fan and enjoys learning about history from all around the world.

Pam Boone,
8B Homeroom | Language Arts & Religion

pboone@stalbert.org

University of KY, B.A. PsychologySpalding University, M.A.T.

Mrs. Boone has enjoyed teaching Language Arts at St. Albert the Great since 2000. She has 39 years experience in education, served mostly in the Archdiocese of Louisville. Prior to working in the Catholic school system, she worked in preschool special education in Lexington, KY. She and her husband are blessed with two children and 7 grandchildren.

Allison Shontz,
8C Homeroom | 7th & 8th Grade Social Studies

ashontz@stalbert.org

University of Louisville, B.A. in History and Social Studies

This is Ms. Shontz’s first year at St. Albert and her first full year of teaching. She spent most of the 2017-2018 school year at St. Martha as a long term substitute teacher in middle school science. Ms. Shontz served six years in the Army National Guard with the 198th Military Police Battalion. She has served on various missions to support the LMPD during Thunder Over Louisville and Derby, as well as supported the DCPD with the Presidential Inauguration. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Teaching at Bellarmine University. Ms. Shontz enjoys spending time with her family, including her dog Luna.

Carrie Early,
6th,7th,8th Grade Spanish

Mrs. Early has taught Spanish in the Archdiocese of Louisville to students in kindergarten through eighth grade for several years. She and her husband are parishioners and children Ellie, Jacob and Anna also attend St. Albert the Great School. Mrs. Early enjoys spending time with her family, sewing and watching British TV. She is very much looking forward to sharing her love of Spanish with the students at St. Albert!

Special Area Teachers

Patricia Clements,
Art Teacher

pclements@stalbert.org

University of Kentucky, B.A in Art History

This is Patricia Clement’s second year at St. Albert but first year as the art teacher. Last year she was a pre-school assistant. She has a passion for creating and learning about art and can’t wait to share that with her students! She is also a coach for Girls on the Run.

Lindsay Finley,
Technology Instructor

Ms. Finley began teaching second grade at St. Albert the Great in 2004. Before that, she taught second grade for three years at the former Sr. Denis. This is Ms. Finley’s third year as the K-8 Technology Instructor. She loves being able to share her love of technology and being able to teach each student in the school. When she is not teaching, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, watching her ten year old daughter, Emerson, play sports, and reading as many books as she can.

Vince Muchow,
Physical Education

vmuchow@stalbert.org

University of Nebraska-Kearney, BA in Education, Physical Education Major and Geography MinorFifth year endorsement in Special Education with emphasis in Behavior Disorders

“Mr.Muchow has been teaching in the Archdiocese of Louisville for twenty-four years. Twelve years at St. Barnabas. Five years being shared with three schools, Holy Family, St. James and St. Albert and seven years full time at St. Albert. Prior to this, in Nebraska, he spent eight years as a counselor on a child and adolescent psychiatric unit and three years as unit clerk on a medical ICU. Mr. Muchow volunteers much of his free time off and on helping nonprofit organizations such as Hand in Hand Ministries, Boy and Girl Scout camps, St. Albert youth group. Mr. Muchow lives in the Hikes Point area and loves to travel with friends and family. “

Everything starts with a story, and Mrs. Carrie Brown’s began with an extreme passion for storytelling, dramatics, and literary presentations as a child and teen. In 1989, she packed her storytelling bag, and headed to The University of Iowa where she received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She has taught pre-K, kindergarten, first, second, and third grades in Iowa, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Texas, and Kentucky. Mrs. Brown is a children’s author, blogger, and kidlit community professional where she hosts a free online picture book challenge every March for educators and writers: Reading for Research Month (ReFoReMo). She is a former picture book judge for the CYBILS awards and North Texas Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrators. Her love for children’s literature and reading led her to pursue her Masters in School Library Media, with a Literacy Endorsement. She will graduate in May from Eastern Kentucky University. Mrs. Brown is the proud wife to native Louisvillian Richard Brown, and mom to three teens Collin, Eric, Chloe, and cat, Smokey. The Browns reside in Plainview and are members of Epiphany Catholic Church.

Charlotte Peake,
Music Teacher

cpeake@stalbert.org

University of Louisville, BME in MusicUniversity of Louisville, Master of Education, with an emphasis in the arts

At St. Albert since 2008, Ms. Peake has also taught at Friends School, St. Aloysius, and St. Pius X. She has been a choir section leader/cantor at the Cathedral of the Assumption since 1985. Also involved in Girl Scouts, she has a troop, works with 9/12 Day Camp and the GS Highlands Songfest. Her daughters are Susanne and Eleanor, and her husband, Ray is a graphic designer.